The U-City Microcredit Club met on April 20th and again on April 24 to make 19 loans for $1500 (total).

Here are the highlights:

Oran Ely is our featured borrower. He lives in Choloma, Cortes, Honduras. He is 29 years old and suffers from a paralysis that blocks the use of his legs. He has been making beautiful portraits, landscapes and artistic pictures for seven years (Some of which you can see in the picture.)e sells them to galleries and also does custom work by request. He is borrowing $750 (15,000 lemperes) to buy watercolors, acrylic paints and canvas. He will also invest part of the loan in a anew business he is starting (opening a gallery). We loaned $100.

Arita Yasmeen is a tailor and lives in Guyanwaly, Pakistan. She is borrowing $350 to buy materials for her business. We loaned $25.

The Progresso V Group is 5 men who live in Sao Paulo, Brazil. They are borrowing $4,325. Vlademir will use his portion of the loan to buy parts for his motorcycle repair business. We loaned $100.

Moshira lives in Kulob, Tajikistan, and is borrowing $1,250 to start a business making and selling cotton candy. We loaned $50.

Yellow Leaf Hammocks is an NGO which provides raw materials and a market for 1.2 million persons in Thailand who make hammocks. The NGO is borrowing $50,000 to expand their online presence and their digital marketing strategy. We loaned $25.

Nada lives in Bagaa, Jordan, and makes pickles. She is borrowing $1,450 to buy equipment that will make the process easier and cleaner. We loaned $75.

Abees also lives in Jordan and creates handcrafts using beads. She is borrowing $725 to buy more supplies. We loaned $75.

Famata lives in Logan Town, Liberia, and she sells bags of charcoal and bags of water. She is borrowing $550 to buy additional bags of charcoal to sell. We loaned $75.

Dewa is from Bali, Indonesia, and is a craftsman in sterling silver and gemstone jewelry. You can see (and purchase) his work, sold through NOVICA. He is borrowing $2,200 to invest in bulk in silver and gemstones. We loaned $100.

Rosa Maria lives with her partner and her daughter in Cotoca, Bolivia, a rural community known for its traditional pottery. For 10 years she has been operating a restaurant on the patio of her home. She cooks in the family kitchen. She is located in a very busy area, and her restaurant is always very crowded. She is open in the evening six days a week. Her problem is that she purchases her cooking supplies (rice, oil, meat, etc) daily, which causes transportation problems and wastes time. She is borrowing $875 to purchase supplies wholesale and in bigger quantities. We loaned $100.

The Faraja Group Buguruni is 3 people who live in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The group is borrowing $775. Debora is a mobile money provider. She will use her portion of the loan to add more capital to her business. This is her second loan. We loaned $50.

The Baobo grouo is 18 people who live in Goma, Congo (DRC). The group is borrowing $10,000. Madam Madeline is the leader of the group and is full of innovation and initiative. She sells fish in the central market in Virunga. Her portion of the loan will buy 15 bags of salted fish. We loaned $100.

Salomi lives in Vunivau, Fiji, and she sells kava powder. Kava is a popular drink made form the powder of kava pepper roots. She is borrowing $500 to purchase kava powder and supplies (plastic, brown bags, zip locks, etc). We loaned $50.

Etevise lives in Vailete, Samoa, and sells taro and banana chips. She is borrowing $500 to buy a sack of taro, bananas, vegetable oil, a fry pan, a wooden spoon and a gas stove. We loaned $100.

Maria lives in Manatuto, Timor-Leste, and has run a chicken barbecue stand (Chicken Sate) for many years. She has a good location and many regular customers. She is borrowing $500 to buy woods, chickens, and other ingredients. We loaned $100.

Ali lives in Adidogone, Togo and sells backpacks from a stall in front of her house. She is borrowing $400 to buy more backpacks. This is her third loan. We loaned $75.

The Gatarama A Cb Group is 14 persons who live in Rwanda. They arert borrowing $7,700. Irene is the leader of the group. She sells banana juice in the local market. She will use her portion of the loan to purchase more sorghum to make more banana juice. We loaned $100.

Evelyn Xiomara runs a general store in El Salvador. She is borrowing $750 to purchase eggs, bread, beverages, sugar, snacks, etc. to strengthen her inventory. We loaned $100.

Samina and her husband live in Lahore, Pakistan. He works as a laborer for small wages but has been learning to be an electrician. He is now qualified and is borrowing $275 to purchase an initial stock of sockets, bulbs, tube lights, switches, etc. We loaned $100.

We are approaching $50,000 in loans made and will likely make that loan in July or August. Stay tuned!